Apparatus for measuring radiations



Aprll 21, 1936. H. c. RENTSCHLER 3 APPARATUS FOR MEASURING RADIATIONS Filed July 50, 1932 INVENTOR 66 C FWTSU/AEF ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 21,1936 I Q UNITED STATES PATENT orricr.

APPARATUS FOR MEASURING RADIATIONS Harvey Clayton Rentschler, East Orange, N. J., assigncr to Westinghouse Lamp Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania 7 Application July 30, 1932, Serial No. 626,381

8 Claims. (Cl. 250-41.5)

The invention relates to a new method and ap- As explained in said patent, this tube may be paratus for measuring the quantity or amount of so constructed that when a predetermined povisible and/or invisible radiations at a particular tentlal is applied between the main anode and location or emitted from a specific source. More the cathode, it will be insufficient to cause a disspecifically this is an improvement over the incharge therebetween and when a relatively small 5 vention disclosed in my copending application predetermined potential is applied between the Serial No. 328,243 filed December 24, 1928 and starting anode and the cathode, it will cause an assigned to the same assignee-as the present inionization of the gas within the envelope. The vention. resistance between the main anode and the 10 An object of my invention is to provide a novel cathode is lowered at the time this discharge oc- 10 method for measuring the quantity of visible curs because some of the gas within the envelope and/or invisible radiations. has been converted from the atomic or molecular Another object of my invention is to provide a. state into an ionized state. When the discharge new and rugged apparatus for measuring theoccurs between the starting anode and the quantity or amount of visible and/or invisible racathode, the predetermined potential that has 15 diations. been maintained between the main anode and Other objects and advantages of my invention the cathode will cause a discharge to occur bewill become readily apparent after a reading of tween the latter two electrodes. the following description in view of the appended The side of said condenser l6, connected to the drawing wherein, cathode H of the radiation responsive device In 20 Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic sketch ilis also connected to the auxiliary anode 2| oi the lustrating one aspect of my invention where diglow relay tube l1 and the opposite side of said rect current is employed; condenser is connected to the cathode I8 of said Figure 2 represents a diagrammatic sketch ilglow relay tube. The circuit just described comlustrating an aspect of my invention when alterprises essentially the input circuit of my novel 25 nating current is employed. system.

The novel system illustrated in Figure 1 com- The output circuit of said system comprises a prises essentially an input and an output circuit fixed or variable resistance 25 of appropriate associated with movable or actuable means. As value having one end thereof connected to the illustrated, a radiation responsive device in the positive terminal of one of the batteries in the 30 nature of a photoelectric cell It, comprising estrain I5. A relay winding 23 surrounding an sentially a photo-sensitive cathode II and an actuable armature 24, which may operate'a trip anode i2, is mounted in a shielding box I3 havcounting mechanism or act as a switch, as shown,

ing an opening or window l4 permeable to the is connected in series with the glow relay tube l'l radiations to be measured. and the resistance 25, One end of said winding The positive electrode l2 of said radiation re- 23 and one side of a condenser 26 are connected sponsive device It is connected to the positive to the other end of said resistance 25. The other terminal of a source of potential, for example, a end of said winding is connected to the main train of storage batteries l5. The negative teranode 20 of said glow relay device ll. The other 40 minal of said source of potential I5 is connected side of said condenser is connected to the nega- 40 to one side of a condens r l6 of fi d or varia l tive terminal of said train of batteries l5, which p yis also connected to the cathode l8 of said glow The other side of said condenser is connected relay tube n Instead of th winding and armato the cathode ll of the photoelectric device l0. tum, I a employ a means, as for example Connected across the condenser I6 is a glow relay lamp adapted to light only when the condenser device ll of the starting anode type. This glow 26 isdischargmg.

relay tube I1 is similar to the one described in on operation when no light falls upon the by Patent 134.0955 Issued Janlumy and photoelectric cell Hi, the resistance thereof is so consists essentially of an enve ope con ammg a high despite the fact that such cell may have a cathode l8, a mam anode 28, and starting anode 2| The envelupe has a fining of argon gas at small inherent capacity efiect nevertheless this a bressure of about five to eight millimeters of is so infinitesimal that no current feeds from the mercury. The cathode, which is of cylindrical urce of potential l5 to the condenser.v 6- With form and of relatively large area, has a small prothis condition existing or even when light does jection 22 extending towards-the starting anode. fall on the photoelectric cell, a portion of the train of batteries ll charges the condenser 23 until it is iully charged.

"When the condenser 26 is iully charged, the potential between the cathode l8 and the main anode 20 is oi insuflicient magnitude to cause a discharge therebetween, When light ialls upon the cathode ll of the photoelectric cell I0, electrons are emitted therefrom and the current that may be fed from the train of batteries i6 to the condenser l6 depends upon the magnitude of the photoelectric current. Aiter a predetermined amount of light has fallen upon the cathode l8 oi the photoelectric cell, the condenser |6 will have acquired a predetermined charge.

When. so charged the potential between the cathode projection 22 andthe starting anode 2| is oi a sufficient magnitude to cause a discharge therebetween. This discharge causes ionization of some oi the gaseous atoms or molecules within the envelope oi the glow relay device and exists for a very short period oi time, during which period the condenser I6 is discharged. As this discharge occurs the resistance between the cathode i8 and the main anode 20 is lowered so that the potential that has been maintained between the main anode 20 and the cathode l8, due to the fully charged condenser 26, is oi suflicient magnitude to cause a discharge therebetween. This discharge also exists ior a short period of time. During said period the current that traverses the coil 23 is sufficiently high to cause adequate movement oi said armature 24, which may actuate a trip counting mechanism or break a circuit, one line 01' which is shown.

When the condenser 26 has been discharged the potential between the cathode |8 and the main anode 20 has been considerably reduced and approximates zero so that it is not high enough to maintain the discharge therebetween. The discharge istherefore ended and in order that the discharge may not be maintained and continuous, the resistance 25 provided in series with the condenser 26 and the source of potential l5 limits the rate that the condenser 26 may be charged. This resistance is so chosen that the rate oi charging said condenser 26 is higher than the rate that the condenser |6 may be charged, but the rate oi charging said condenser 26 is not so high that once the discharge is started between cathode i8 and main anode 20, it will be maintained and continuous.

The novel specific system illustrated in Figure 1 is primarily adapted to be employed when it is desired to utilize direct current because of its sole availability or for other reasons. In order that alternating current may be employed as the original source of electrical energy I have devised the novel system, illustrated in Figure 2, which is essentially a modification of the system illustrated in Figure 1 and hereinbeiore described.

The system illustrated in Figure 2 functions in essentially the same manner and is basically the same as the system illustrated in Figure 1. The only difference between these two systems is that in one case a direct current generator, such as the train of batteries I5, serves to charge the condensers I6 and 26, and in the other case a novel means is substituted for said batteries to serve as an electrical energy supply means.

For this purpose I may employ a B-eliminator of the general type heretofore employed in the radio field. Across the output terminals of said B-eliminator is a condenser 30 which acts to further smooth out the direct current derived from said; B-eliminator to which is ied alternating curren A pair oi series connected voltage regulators 3| and 32 oi the type disclosed in my United States Patent No. 1,835,121 issued December 8, 1931, are connected in electrical parallel with said condenser 30. As shown, the anode 33 oi the regulator 3| is connected to that side of the condenser 30 connected to the positive terminal oi the B-eliminator, and the cathode 34 oi the regulator 32 is connected to the other side oi said condenser 33, connected to the negative terminal oi said B-eliminator. The anode 36 oi the regulator 32 is connected to the cathode 36 oi'the regulator 3|. A variable or fixed resistance 31 oi appropriate value is connected in electrical parallel with the regulator 3| and has its respective ends connected to the anode 33 and cathode 36 oi said regulator.

Instead oi connecting the anode I2 oi the photoelectric cell to the positive terminal oi a train of battries II as shown in Figure 1, it is connected to that end oi the resistance 31 at the anode 33 of the regulator 3|. That side oi the condenser 26 connected to the cathode I8 oi the glow relay device i1 is connected to cathode 33 of the regulator 32 instead oi to the negative terminal of the batteries 6 as shown in Figure 1. That end of the resistance 25 instead oi being connected to the positive terminal oi one oi the batteries of the train I5 is connected to an appropriate position along the length oi the resistance 31.

This system operates in essentially the same manner as that shown in Figure 1 and hereinbefore described. Although I have described my invention with some particularity, it is not to be limited thereby, but only by the prior art.

What is claimed is:

l. A system for measuring the quantity of radiations emanating from a source oi electromagnetic radiations comprising means whose resistance varies with variation in intensity oi the radiations emanating from said source, a source oi electrical potential, a condenser connected to said source of electrical potential and to said means for accumulating a charge therein from said source of electrical potential solely by current flow through said means and only when the same is subjected to said source of electromagnetic radiations, a glow relay tube provided with a common cathode and two anodes with one oi said anodes being spaced closer to said cathode than the other of said anodes and located out of the direct discharge path between the other of said anodes and said cathode to inherently cause a definite and constant breakdown potential being required to initiate a discharge between said cathode and the anode spaced in closer proximity thereto regardless oi the potential impressed between the other of said anodes and cathode, said condenser being connected to one of said anodes and said cathode and operable to initiate a discharge therebetween when said condenser is charged to the definite breakdown potential thereof, a second condenser having its terminals connected to said source oi electrical potential and to the other oi said anodes and said cathode,

and recording means operably responsive to dis-.

charge of said second condenser upon breakdown of said glow relay tube for indicating the quantity of electromagnetic radiations emanating from said source over a definite period oi time.

2. A system for measuring the quantity of radiations emanating from a source oi electromagnetic radiations, comprising means subiectable to radiations from said source whose resistance varies with variations in intensity of the radiations emanating therefrom, a source of electrical potential, a condenser connected to said source of electrical potential and to said means, and adapted to be charged by said source of electrical potential solely by current flow through said means and only when the same is subjected to said source of electromagnetic radiations until said condenser is charged to a predetermined value at a rate dependent upon the intensity of radiations falling upon said means, a glow relay tube provided with a common cathode, a main anode spaced from said cathode, and a starting anode spaced a lesser distance from said cathode than the main anode and located out of the direct discharge path between the main anode and cathode to inherently cause a definite and constant break down potential being required to initiate a discharge between the starting anode and cathode regardless of the potential impressed between the main anode and cathode, said starting anode and cathode being connected to said condenser for causing discharge thereof when the latter has reached the breakdown potential between said starting anode and cathode; a second condenser connected to said source of electrical potential and to said main anode and cathode for limiting the potential impressed upon said main anode and cathode to a value sufficient only to sustain a discharge therebetween for a brief interval upon initiation of a discharge between said starting anode and cathode by discharge of said first mentioned condenser, and recording means operably responsive to discharge of said second mentioned condenser for indicating the quantity of electromagnetic radiations emanating from said source over a definite period of time.

3. A system for measuring the quantity of radiations emanating from a source of electromagnetic radiations, comprising means subjectableto radiations from said source whose resistance varies with variations in tensity of the radiations emanating therefrom, a source of electrical potential, a condenser connected in said source of electrical-potential and to said means and adapted to be charged by said source of electrical potential solely by current flow through said means and only when the same is subjected to sa d source of electromagnetic radiations until said condenser is charged to a predetermined value at a rate dependent upon the intensity of radiations falling upon said means, a glow relay tube provided with two anodes and a common cathode with one of said anodes being spaced closer to said cathode than the other of said anodes and located out.of the direct discharge path between the other of said anodes and said cathode to inherently cause a definite and constant breakdown potential being required to initiate a discharge between said cathode and the anode spaced in closer proximity thereto regardless of the potential impressed between the other of said anodes and cathode, and one of said anodes and said cathode being connected in electrica parallel relationship with said condenser to cause discharge of the latter with attendant breakdown of said glow relay tube upon said condenser being charged to said predetermined value, and a second condenser connected to said source of electrical potential and in electrical parallel relationship with the remaining anode and said cathode for limiting the potential I impressed therebetween to a fixed maximum suflicient only to sustain a discharge in said glow relay tube after initiation thereof by the discharge of said first mentioned condenser, and operable to discharge in response to the discharge of said first mentioned condenser; and means operable in response to discharge of said second mentioned condenser to indicate the quantity of electromagnetic radiations emanating from said source over a definite period of time.

4, A system for measuring the quantity of radiations emanating from a source of electromagnetic radiations comprising means subjectable to radiations from said source whose resistance varies with variations in intensity of the radiations emanating therefrom, a source of electrical potential, a condenser connected to said source of electrical potential and to said means and adapted to be charged by said source of electrical potential solely by current flow through said means and only when the same is subjected to said source of electromagnetic radiations, a glow relay tube provided with two anodes and a common cathode with one of said anodes being spaced closer to said cathode than the other of said anodes and positioned out of the direct discharge path Jbetween the other of said anodes and said cathode to inherently cause a definite and constant breakdown potential being required to initiate a discharge between said cathode and the anode spaced in closer proximity thereto regardless of the potential impressed between the other of said anodes and said cathode, an input circuit for said glow relay tube including said condenser and one of said anodes and said cathode and operable to cause breakdown therebetween with means responsive to current flow in said output circuit, for indicating the quantity of electromagnetic radiations emanating irom said source over a definite period of time.

5. A system for measuring the quantity of radiations emanating from a source of electromagnetic radiations comprising a glow relay tube provided with two anodes and a common cathode, with one of said anodes being spaced closer to said cathode than the other of said anodes and positioned out of the direct discharge path between the other of said anodes and said cathode to inherently cause a definite and constant breakdown potential being required to initiate a discharge between said cathode and the anode spaced in closer proximity thereto regardless of 2 the potential impressed between the other of said anodes and said cathode, an input circuit for said glow relay tube including means subjectable to radiations from said source whose resistance varies with variations in intensity of the radiations emanating from said source, and a source of electrical potential, all in electrical series relationship; and a condenser connected in electrical parallel relationship with said glow relay tube adapted to be charged by said source of electrical potential solely by current flow through said means and only when the same is subjected to said source of electromagnetic radiations and at a rate proportional to the intensity of the radiations falling upon said means, and operable to causebreakdown of said glow relay tube upon being charged to a predetermined value; and an be charged by said source of electrical potential potential suificient only to sustain a discharge in said glow relay tube once it has been initiated by discharge of said first mentioned condenser, and means responsive to discharge of said last mentioned condenser upon breakdown oi the glow relay tube with. attendant current flow in said output circuit for indicating the quantity of electromagnetic rediations emanating from said source over a definite period oi time.

6. A system for measuring the quantity of radiations emanating from a source of electromagnetic radiations comprising a glow relay tube provided with two anodes and a common cathode with one of said anodes being spaced closer to said cathode than the other of said anodes and positioned out or the direct discharge path between the latter and said cathode to inherently cause a definite and constant breakdown potential being required to initiate a discharge between said cathode and the anode spaced in closer proximity thereto regardless of the potential impressed between the other of said anodes and said cathode, an input circuit for said glow relay tube including a photoelectric cell subjectable to radiations from said source whose resistance varies with variations in intensity of the radiations emanating from said source, and a source of electrical potential, in electrical series relationship,v

and a condenser connected in electrical parallel relationship with said glow relay tube adapted to solely by current flow through said photoelectric cell and only when the same is subjected to said source of electromagnetic radiation and at a rate proportional to the intensity of radiations falling upon said photoelectric cell, and operable to discharge and cause breakdown of said glow relay tube upon being charged to a predetermined value; and an output circuit for said glow relay tube including said source of electrical potential and the winding of a relay, a condenser in said output circuit between said source of electrical potential and said relaywinding in electrical parallel relationship to said glow relay tube and operable to impress a potential upon said glow relay tube sufiicient only to sustain a discharge once it has been initiated by discharge of said condenser in said input circuit, means in said output circuit for controlling the charging rate of said last mentioned condenser, and means actuable by said relay upon discharge of the condenser in said output circuit for indicating the quantity of radiations emanating from said electromagnetic radiation source over a definite period of time.

7 A system for measuringthe quantity of radiations emanating from a source of electromagnetic radiations comprising a glow relay tube provided with two anodes and a common cathode with one of said anodes being spaced closer to said cathode than the other of said anodes and positioned out of the direct discharge path between the latter and said cathode to inherently cause a definite and constant breakdown potential being'required to initiate a discharge between said cathode and the anode spaced in closer proximity thereto regardless of the potential impressed between the other of said anodes and said cathode,

a circuit including an electromagnetic radiation responsive device subjectable to radiations emanating from said source whose resistance varies in response to the quantity of radiations falling thereon, a source of electrical potential, and a condenser adapted to be charged by said source of electrical potential solely by current flow through said radiation responsive device and only when the same is subjected to said source of electromagnetic radiations and at a rate proportional to the intensity of the radiations falling upon said radiation responsive device, all in electrical series relationship a second circuit including said condenser and said cathode and one of said anodes of said glow relay tube and operable to cause breakdown of said glow relay tube with attendant complete discharge of said condenser when the potential thereof reaches a definite value; a third circuit including said source oi. electrical potential, a second condenser adapted to accumulate a charge from said source of electrical potential limited only to a value sumcientto sustain a discharge in said glow relay tube once it has been initiated by discharge oi. said first mentioned condenser, and a current limiting device controlling the rate of charging of said second condenser by said source, all in electrical series relationship; and another circuit including the remaining anode and said cathode oi. said glow relay tube, said second condenser and means operable to cause the operation of mechanism to indicate the quantity of electromagnetic radiations emanating from said source of radiations over a definite period of time, in electrical series relationship; said second mentioned condenser being operable to discharge and actuate said last mentioned means upon breakdown of said glow relay tube in response to discharge of said first mentioned condenser.

8. A system for measuring the quantity of radiations emanating from a source of electromagnetic radiations comprising radiation responsive means subjectable to radiations emanating from said source, a source of electrical potential and a condenser adapted to be charged by said source of electrical potential solely by current flow through said radiation responsive means and only when the same is subjected to said source of electromagnetic radiations, all in electrical series relationship; a glow relay tube provided with two anodes and a common cathode with one of said anodes being spaced closer to said cathode than the other of said anodes and positioned out of the direct discharge path between the latter and said cathode to inherently cause a definite and constant breakdown potential being required to initiate a discharge between said cathode and the anode spaced in closer proximity thereto regardless of the potential impressed between the other of said anodes and said cathode, one of said anodes and said cathode being connected in series with said condenser, a circuit including said source of electrical potential, a condenser and a current limiting device in electrical series relationship; a further circuit including said second condenser, the remaining anode and cathode of said glow relay tube and means operable to cause operation of mechanism to indicate the quantity of radiations emanating from said source of electromagnetic radiations over a definite period of time, all in electrical series relationship; and said HARVEY CLAYTON RENTSCHLER. 

